Within human services, intake or assessment for service is the first point of contact on a continuum of interactions with people we support. For that reason, this initial process is hugely important for creating a foundation of trust between the human services organization and the service user. This session will look at ways for improving intake and assessment from equity-based and trauma- and violence-informed approaches. Experts will discuss the benefits that come from these approaches, and we will hear from a CMSM that has been successfully incorporating these approaches to enhance their common assessment tools.